How to Start Meditation – A Guide

Want to experience deep relaxation? Start Meditation

Are you avoiding meditation simply because you feel you don’t know enough about it? Would you like to do a simple meditation daily, but feel there is just SO much to learn and take in first?

Fear not, because we have put together a very simple guide on how to start meditation. All you need to begin, is find somewhere you can relax and get comfortable to fully enjoy the experience.

To get you even more motivated to begin meditating daily, picture the more energetic, stress free life that meditation has been proven to help people with. Through these simple and effective techniques, meditation has become a convenient way to calm the mind.

Many people have benefited greatly by using it as a means to relax the body after a hectic day, allowing them to become more grounded and find inner peace.

“If you have time to breathe you have time to meditate. You breathe when you walk. You breathe when you stand. You breathe when you lie down.” – Ajahn Amaro

Meditation can often appear more difficult than it actually is. Some people think you have to live like a monk to meditate! This is not the case at all. Below we have compiled a simple list of guidelines, on how to start meditation.

Choose a time that suits you

Meditation is in essence, a time to relax and gain energy and can be performed at any time throughout the day. There is no perfect time, or hour that is better than another. You can choose a time that suits you and your needs.

Some people find it more enjoyable to engage in a deep meditation early in the morning, before they go to work or embark on the hectic day that lays ahead of them. Others feel that before bed allows them to calm their mind and enables them to enter a deeper sleep. Once you’re free from external disturbances and able to enter a deep state of relaxation, you will benefit immensely regardless of the chosen time.

Choose a quiet place

When you first begin meditating it is advisable to find somewhere that you can really relax. Somewhere that is quiet and peaceful. Where you will be free from any disturbances. Having a place where we can be free from distractions will help as we try to quite the mind and focus on our breathing. Many people find that having candles in the room can aid the relaxation even more and helps ease them into a meditating state. Overall, make sure you have the correct energy within the room.

Do a warm up

Don’t worry we don’t mean jog a few laps here, we simply mean doing a few stretches first. Stretching will help you loosen your muscles and tendons, allowing you to ease into your meditation position more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.

Lie Down or Sit Up?

Choosing a position that suits us can help make meditation easier. Sitting up or lying down, pick what feels most comfortable to you. The most common position is sitting. I think we have all seen an image somewhere of people sitting on cushion on the floor with their legs crossed meditating, but you can also meditate perfectly in a chair or even on a stool. Some people like to meditate with their eyes open and others with their eyes closed. The most important thing is that you are comfortable which ever position you choose.

Get the right posture

Posture is one of the most important parts of meditation. You must always choose a posture that will enable you to experience a steady, comfortable and relaxed state. If sitting it can be helpful to imagine a piece of string pulling your head, neck and back straight up towards your ceiling. Most of the people consider the Padmasana or the lotus position for meditation.

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray

Take deep breaths

To begin the process of meditation we must first engage in deep breathing. This is very simple. Take a few slow deep breaths in and out. This will help slow our heart rate aswell as relaxing the muscles in our body. By breathing deeply we are also enabling the mind to focus more effeciently. This is the perfect way to begin meditating.

Practice Patience

When we first begin meditating it is possible to become liable to frustration. Our mind, with its ability to think about many thoughts at one time, can be somewhat difficult to quieten. We must be patient at this stage and know that with time we will succeed.

Focusing on our body parts as we breathe can be helpful. Perhaps moving from our feet up to our head. Taking notice of the way each part of us feel as we breathe in and out deeply and slowly. If and when our mind becomes distracted, we must simply call it back to focus on a single thing. Some people have found that focusing their attention on a candle can be extremely beneficial in making the process of meditation much easier.

Meditate with your partner

Some people find it great and very rewarding to meditate with their loved one. Others enjoy meditating to some relaxing music. There are many guided meditations to be found online that feature this music as well as instructions to help you meditate.

Try meditation on an empty stomach

The best time to mediate is when you have an empty stomach. It is the nature of human beings to feel drowsy after having a meal. In case you are feeling hungry, make sure to have a light meal and meditate two to three hours later.

Meditation on the go

You can meditate anytime, anywhere. Even on your way to work every morning. Meditating for as little as one minute a day can add tremendous benefits to your life. Simply focusing on your breathing for one minute is meditation. Focus on breathing, in for five seconds, hold for a further five seconds and then release again for five seconds, repeating for a minute.

This is a simple form of meditation that can be done anywhere. Well perhaps not while driving! Any form of detachment from the stresses of your daily life is meditation. Even if you are out for a walk you can meditate. Many people find it easier to mediate as they walk because they feel more grounded.

“While meditating we are simply seeing what the mind has been doing all along.” – Allan Lokos

These are some basics steps on How to Start Meditation in an effective way. Start meditating dailyand marvel at the incredible difference it makes to how you feel, perform and interact in your life.

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